Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
“If you would like to know how some of your space exploration tax dollars are being spent and what we are learning from those endeavors,” take advantage of a National Air and Space Administration (NASA) presentation by one of NASA’s Space Ambassadors, Ward Yohe. He will make his presentation on May 18-19 at Doe Bay. He says, “Some of the imagery I have to share is fantastic… and I always make time for questions.
“I have not encountered an upper age limit for people who are eager to learn about space, regardless of background, profession, and interests.”
Doe Bay has invited a middle school group (taught by Phil Carter) to come out for the Friday presentation, as they are studying space this term.
Since 2005, Ward Yohe has been a certified volunteer NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Solar System Ambassador (SSA). This is a public outreach program designed to increase awareness of our Solar System and the many robotic and human missions we are using to conduct exploration.
Doe Bay’s Jamie Mitchell says, “What an incredible opportunity to host this guy!”
Yohe says: “There are always new and exciting photos and information to share as we continually explore our Solar System. A taste of new information I will have to share includes:
– New images and data are being received from the Messenger spacecraft orbiting Mercury.
– The STEREO mission has given us a complete 3D view of a solar flare on its 93 million mile journey from the Sun to the Earth.
– The Mars Opportunity rover has reached Endeavour crater after a long cross-desert journey… effectively starting an entirely new Martian mission;
– The DAWN spacecraft has gone into orbit around the giant asteroid Vesta using an advanced ion propulsion system;
– The Juno spacecraft is on its multi-million mile journey to Jupiter;
– Twin GRAIL spacecraft are on their way to our own Moon;
– The Curiosity Mars Science Laboratory Rover is being prepared for launch;
– The Kepler space telescope has discovered over 1,000 planets orbiting other stars;
– The space shuttle completed building the International Space Station (ISS);
– US Astronauts are in orbit around the earth right now working with other countries conducting research on the ISS;
– A private American company, Space X, will soon launch its first cargo flight to the ISS in a space ship that will be able to carry humans in the near future;
– NASA is building and testing it’s next crewed deep space vehicle and rocket that will carry humans far beyond low Earth orbit;
– New photos and data continue to pour in from the Cassini mission orbiting Saturn nearly a billion miles away;
– The Voyager 2 spacecraft has left our Solar System and continues to send data on its 3+ decade mission.
Teachers should know that the presentation encompasses state Science Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs or “eelers”). Yohe says, “While there is not enough time for a deep conversation on all of these topics, one can not discuss the makeup and exploration of the Solar System without covering the structure of matter, energy transfer, systems, applications, physics, earth and space science, evolution, energy and research, etc.
The presentations will be held at the Doe Bay Resort Yoga Studio at 107 Doe Bay Road.
For more information about the SSA program go to https://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador/
This presentation will be extremely interesting in setting forth what NASA is presently involved in. The media rarely touches on the above-mentioned events as they feel the subjects are too technical to be understood. This appears to be a condensed version of what I would call ‘Space Exploration 101.’ I highly suggest you attend. Teachers, bring your students. This is the future.
….and you Harry, were one of the ones that got us this far. I salute you.